There are many vehicle owners that use their vehicles as mobile offices. As such, at times it may become necessary to take notes or create other writings. However, when sitting in the vehicle, there is no readily available surface on which to write, except for an armrest in the vehicle console. However, the armrest is not designed as a writing surface. Instead, it is typically constructed of a soft, compressible material that is designed for comfort for either a passenger or vehicle driver's arm.
One option to provide a writing surface is for the vehicle occupant to bring a separate clipboard. While a clipboard would provide a writing surface, it may slide and or move along the armrest while in use, especially as the clipboard is longer than the width of the armrest and is likely to come into contact with the vehicle occupant. Moreover, the vehicle occupant must remember to bring the clipboard and find an accessible storage location within the vehicle when not in use.
While the soft, compressible material of the armrest may be replaced with a hard surface, such a construction would be undesirable as it would provide an uncomfortable surface for vehicle occupants when being used as an armrest. Accordingly, an armrest having a selectively stowable writing surface is needed.